


The Pleasurable Ache of Hunger

by YellowAndVeritablyBonaFide



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Cute, Fluff, M/M, Protective Arthur, Worried!Arthur, merlin doesn’t eat so don’t read if you’re triggered by that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 07:11:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21011813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YellowAndVeritablyBonaFide/pseuds/YellowAndVeritablyBonaFide
Summary: When Merlin doesn’t eat for a day or two, he decides he likes the dull ache of hunger.Arthur notices and worries about his poor servant, making it his mission to get Merlin better.





	The Pleasurable Ache of Hunger

**Author's Note:**

> This contains Merlin not eating and although it’s really light and doesn’t go fully into the issue, if you’re at all triggered by this topic then please don’t read :)

Magic: unkown  
Relationship: unestablished

• • •

It's late at night when Merlin gets back from Arthur's chambers - he'd been run ragged all-day. Gaius isn't even awake still. He sees the plate of food on the table for him. He realises that he hasn't eaten since the morning of the day before. He feels the dull ache of hunger, but bypasses the plate to go to bed; after all, he is tired.

In the morning, he is up before Gaius and heads to the kitchens to get Arthur's breakfast. He's in an out as quickly as possible, the smell of food turns the dull - but slightly pleasurable - ache into a stinging hurt.

Bursting into Arthur's room, he sings a good morning, places the tray of food on Arthur's desk and opens the curtains. Arthur watches Merlin's sunny smile from beneath the pile of sheets but doesn't fail to notice the extra effort Merlin has to put into the daily torture of letting the sun inside. 

"Come on, Arthur! Up and at 'em!" Merlin laughs. He tugs gently on Arthur's exposed leg.

Arthur doesn't move. If he doesn't start moving after a few tries, he is normally dragged out of bed in a swift - rather ungracious - movement. He doesn't move, even when the sheets are pulled from his grip and his skin goes to pebbles from the breeze. 

"Arthur!" Merlin whines, tugging on Arthur's leg again.

"I'll only get out if you pull me out." Arthur teases and puts his hands behind his head.

Merlin raises his eyebrows, accepting the challenge. He takes Arthur's legs in his hands and tugs him off the bed. It took extra effort today and Arthur is not pleased about it.

"Tell me, Merlin," Arthur starts as he sits down to eat his breakfast, already fully dressed. "When was the last time you ate?" He keeps a watchful eye on his servant.

Merlin is taken aback by the question and stands with his mouth opening and closing for a second. "Well, sire, a few hours ago. Breakfast." He smiles, seemingly happy with himself.

Arthur knows he's lying, he knows everything about Merlin. And he knows that Merlin is never in the tavern when Gaius says he is - he has Gwaine to fact check that story. But he is yet to know exactly what he is doing.

"Would you indulge me in telling me what exactly you ate?" Arthur pries. He worries about Merlin sometimes; he has a habit of punishing himself without realising.

"Well... Uh, bread." Merlin nods, more to himself than anything. "And I had a bit of cheese and an apple." Merlin smiles for Arthur, trying to look full - he pushes his belly out, leaning backwards a bit. 

Arthur's first thought is to go to his lips. He would kiss Merlin and taste the sweet juice of the in season fruit. Then Merlin would be telling the truth. Unfortunately, a fact-check this invasive would require Merlin to have the same feelings.

The game is given away when Merlin's stomach growls in disapproval. He looks worriedly at Arthur who is sat with an even expression. 

"Will that be all?" Merlin asks, dipping his head.

Arthur nods his allowance but stops him as he gets to the door. "Oh, Merlin?" 

Merlin looks back at him, a desperate foot already out the door. 

"Don't clear out the stables today." He instructs. "I'll get someone else to do it."

Merlin frowns and leaves. Is this going to affect his job? 

With Merlin's reduced chores, he has more time to do jobs for Gaius. This is why he bumps into Arthur at the stables.

"I thought I told you that I'd get someone else to do it." Arthur snaps. He doesn't mean it to come out so harsh, but his concern is deep rooted.

"Oh, no, I'm not— I'm delivering medicine for Gaius." Merlin says, holding up a vial of yellow medicine for evidence.

Arthur frowns for a split second. "And... Gaius told you to do that?" When Merlin nods, he continues. "So, when I give you a break, Gaius fills it?"

"I'm his apprentice. It's my job." Merlin states. He bows his head and hurries off.

Arthur almost shouts after him, but sighs and heads to Gaius'.

"Gaius, have you noticed anything going on with Merlin?" Arthur asks, having been with Gaius for a few minutes.

Gaius thinks and then he thinks about lying and then he thinks he'd better not. "He didn't eat dinner last night, sire. I highly doubt he had breakfast."

"He told me he had bread, cheese and an apple for breakfast. You suspect that to be a lie?" Arthur checks.

"Well, I normally make him a sandwich and I doubt he had time to eat all of that on his way to deliver you your breakfast. Gaius gives a look of consternation. "His mother did it sometimes. It was when she blamed herself for something."

Arthur thinks, tapping his finger on the wooden desk he's sat at. "I suppose he could be blaming himself." He ponders. "We were attacked by bandits while he was gathering fire wood. Maybe he's upset that he wasn't there?"

Gaius nods, "Maybe. You should talk to him about it. I have a feeling if it came from you, he would listen."

Arthur's heart glimmers with hope at Gaius' words. If it came from you. Does that mean Merlin likes him? Does it mean that if he asked him if he wanted to be with him, he would say yes? He certainly has a lot to think about on the way to his chambers.

"Did you have dinner last night?" Arthur asks. He is sat at his desk, his usual tray of food in front of him.

Merlin, who is fussing about with Arthur's bed sheets, doesn't reply. He either doesn't hear or chooses to ignore the interrogative. Arthur knows that it's the latter because for the briefest of moments Merlin pauses.

"Merlin?" Arthur calls, standing up. His chair scrapes along the floor, demanding attention.

"Arthur?" Merlin retorts, turning only his head. He gives a casual smile, but Arthur can see the slight unsureness in his eyes.

"Did you eat dinner last night?" Arthur repeats. His face is soft, begging Merlin to tell him the truth.

Merlin stands straight. "I did." He juts his chin forwards, a wobbly smile on his face.

"That's interesting," Arthur remarks. Arthur rights the chair back to its place and wanders up to his servant. "Because I was speaking to Gaius earlier and he said you hadn't." He raises an eyebrow.

Merlin lets out a breath of laughter. "Well, I guess I forgot. I was probably too busy running after you, you prat." He pokes Arthurs chest lightly in jest. "Why did you ask if you already knew the answer?"

Arthur doesn't reply and takes his upper arm gently. He walks him over to the table. "Sit." Arthur demands, pushing Merlin's shoulder to coerce him into the chair. "Eat."

Merlin squirms and tries to get out of the chair, clutching the arm rests and arching his back. "No, I couldn't possibly." Merlin says with an undertone of an entreaty. Arthur pokes him in the belly and he falls back down with a startled giggle.

Merlin takes a hesitant hand towards the fork. He picks it up and hovers it over the food. It takes a lot of consideration to pick up a bit of chicken - the rich scent wafting his way. He pulls it towards his mouth slowly, pushing it back a centimetre or so occasionally. He gets it to his lips before he puts it down altogether.

He looks up at Arthur, "It's too hot." And he sees the anxiety that arises on Arthur's face.

Arthur picks up the chair from the other side of the table and places it next where Merlin is sat. He then picks up the fork, knowing full well that it's only warm, and blows on it gently - keeping eye contact. He puts the chicken to Merlin's lips. His hand reaches for the handle, but Arthur bats it down and nudges Merlin's lips with the chicken.

Slowly, Merlin opens his lips allowing Arthur to put it in his mouth. He looks down in shame as he chews. He never meant for Arthur to worry about him. The chicken in his mouth feels dry and chewy; it's not and he knows it's not. This is food fit for a prince. After a long while of chewing the same small piece of chicken, he can feel Arthur's fretful gaze on him. He swallows.

"Thank you." He mumbles in a small voice. He looks back at Arthur and opens his mouth for more - he's never wanted to disappoint the man.

Arthur smiles and collects a bit of potato for him. Merlin chews this much more quickly. Arthur smiles at him and keeps giving him more.

This continues until Merlin whispers, "No more." And sends a pleading glance to his temporary, and caring, captor.

Arthur looks at the half empty plate and back to Merlin - sated. He puts the fork back to the plate and takes Merlin's hands, pulling him up.

"You're to keep eating, okay?" Arthur checks, a crease of concern in between his eyebrows. "You're too skinny as it is."

Merlin retrieves his hands from Arthur's grip, his face hot. "I'm not!" He can't quite reach Arthur's eyes.

Then, in a sickeningly sweet moment of vulnerability, Arthur curves his fingers around Merlin's waist. He uses the pads of his thumbs to rub circles through the fabric of Merlin's shirt. Arthur beams down at him in care - it's a smile that could unite armies. Merlin places his hands on Arthur's broad shoulders, worried that if he lets go he will faint.

"See? I can almost wrap my hands around you." Arthur nods towards where his hands have encircled Merlin's waist and his thumbs are almost touching.

For a fleeting second, a heaviness falls over Merlin as he contemplates if touching him was just a ruse to prove a point. But Arthur moves his hands to frame his face and it all goes out the window. His thumbs trace Merlin's cheekbones with such a delicate touch that he forgets there is anything softer in the world. And the gaze that Arthur gifts him with is enough for his heart to stop.

"I'm just worried about you." Arthur barely murmurs. His voice is so light that the sound cuts out twice and Merlin can only see his lips moving.

Merlin wants to say something that changes their relationship or something that reassures his love that he's okay. But instead, he lets out a disgruntled whine and touches a hand to his stomach. 

Arthur looks down at him with a perturbed look, so Merlin explains, "Tummy ache." His face twists in discomfort and embarrassment.

Arthur relaxes and leads Merlin to his bed where they both lie down. Merlin lies on his back, Arthur is on his side to face Merlin. A few moments pass before Merlin's tunic is lifted to show his belly. Arthur's warm hand is placed on there gently and he traces slow circles across the skin. Merlin closes his eyes in bliss. The relief the touch brings is undeniable.

"You're so good," Arthur whispers, looking at Merlin's face. He is fascinated by the gruntled expressions fluttering across his features. "You did so well for me."

Merlin smiles and looks up at Arthur through thick lashes. The blissed out face does all to thank Arthur.

"And you're going to keep eating regularly." Arthur's voice is soft, still, but it holds the firmness needed for Merlin to know he's serious. "And you are never going to lie to me again."


End file.
